1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an electronic mail receiving device that outputs received electronic mail messages in various ways and a facsimile machine including the electronic mail receiving device.
2. Description of Related Art
Information has been busily exchanged among personal computers via external networks, such as the Internet, by transmitting and receiving electronic mail (e-mail). Particularly, in recent years, familiar devices other than personal computers, such as cellular phones, facsimile machines and terminals for mailing, can transmit and receive e-mail. Accordingly, the transmitting/receiving of the e-mail using such familiar devices is rapidly becoming popular.
In the above-described devices, that can transmit and receive e-mail (hereinafter, referred to as a mailing terminal), when a received e-mail message is output, the most popular outputting method is to display the e-mail message on a display device, such as an LCD (liquid crystal display device). However, when a contrast of the display device is low or a screen of the display device is small, it may be difficult to read the characters displayed on the display device. Therefore, in most instances, the e-mail message is printed out on a sheet of paper to overcome the difficulty in reading attributed to the structure or performance of the display device.
In recent years, a technology for converting text data into voice signals and outputting the signals by voice has been in practical use. Using this technology, a user can listen to a voice to learn the contents of a received e-mail message that is output by voice. As described above, as methods of ways, to learn the contents of the received e-mail messages, there are three methods, namely, a method of reading the message displayed on a display, a method of reading the message printed on a sheet, and a method of listening to the message outputted by voice.
These output methods each have drawbacks and advantages. The most suitable output method varies from person to person. For example, for a user whose eye condition is good and who is accustomed to operating electronic equipment, the best way might be to display an e-mail message on a screen and read the message by scrolling as necessary. In addition, this method does not require use of other resources, such as paper, so that this method is friendly to the environment.
It would be convenient if a user could know the contents of an e-mail message while working on another thing, i.e., when the user is tied up by the other work and cannot leave the work for a while. For example, for a user (e.g. homemaker) who is busy with his/her house work, it would be convenient if the contents of the e-mail message is output by voice because the user could learn the contents of the e-mail message without stopping doing household chores. For elderly people, it would be convenient if an e-mail message is printed out because the printout is easier to read than the message displayed on a display and it is also easier to understand the contents than when the message is output by voice.
When each user has his/her own mailing terminal as described above, the user selects and uses his/her own mailing terminal in a manner suitable to the user's preference or needs from the mailing terminals having any one of the output methods. However, for example, when a fixed phone device or a facsimile machine is shared between several users, it is necessary for each user to specify a desirable output method every time each user outputs his/her e-mail messages.
It is assumed that a family shares a facsimile machine to transmit and receive e-mail messages. Generally, there is at least one person who is accustomed to the use of electronic equipment and another person who is unaccustomed to the use of the electronic equipment. Therefore, it is often the case that it is difficult for the person unfamiliar with the use of the electronic equipment to output received e-mail messages in an output method suitable for him/her. Further, it is burdensome to specify a desirable output method every time for even the person familiar with the use of the electronic equipment.